OAKLAND, CALIF. — Frank Robinson did not return to the Bay Area as a major-league manager Tuesday night.

That probably comes as a surprise to more than a few people in baseball because when the Baltimore Orioles hired Robinson as a coach last winter, most people saw him as the soon-to-be-successor to Joe Altobelli. In 1984, one year after taking them to a world championship, Altobelli had managed the Orioles to a fifth-place finish, their worst since 1967.

But none of it has worked out that way. The Orioles are off to an uncharacteristic good start, so Altobelli is still at the reins and Robinson is still a coach.

Robby, who was fired as the Giants manager last summer and who fired some parting shots at the Giants while departing, said that's just fine with him.

''The only way a manager loses his job is if the team fails. I did not come here hoping the team would fail. I did not come here hoping Joe would lose his job. I wanted to see the team do well, not fail,'' he said.

Robinson is familiar with this kind of situation. Last August, with the Milwaukee Brewers challenging the worst season in their history under rookie manager Rene Lachemann, Robinson was suddenly called in as the Brewers' hitting instructor.

If that move seemed suspicious, it's hard to describe the reaction to the Orioles' decision to hire Robinson.

''I can't stop people from thinking what they want to think,'' Robinson said.

And people were thinking a lot of different things. Robinson was hired by Orioles owner Edward Bennett Williams, not by team general manager Hank Peters, who usually handles such matters. Altobelli wasn't told a thing until after it happened.

Robinson said Altobelli was justifiably ''a little upset,'' but both say they have no problem working with each other.

''We've joked about it right from the start,'' Altobelli said. ''In fact, one night we had a picture taken with us looking over each other's shoulder.'' Robinson's current duties involve ''working with the outfield.'' He does little with the hitters, that being the domain of coach Terry Crowley.

As for managing again, Robinson still has aspirations, but the situation must be right. He does not care to damage further his reputation as a manager, as he did by taking graveyard jobs with the Giants and Indians.

''I'll listen to any job offer, but I'm going to be selective,'' he said. ''I think any manager would like good material to work with. I'm not necessarily thinking about here Baltimore. This isn't the job that Frank Robinson is just dying to get.''

He may get it anyway, this season.

Altobelli hasn't forgotten Yogi Berra and Doug Rader. ''We've only played 35 games,'' he said, ''and two guys are already gone. Know what I mean?''